25 sax salute to singer Gerry Rafferty
THE saxophone solo from Baker Street is one of the most iconic in music and yesterday the streets of Paisley rang with a rendition of it as 25 musicians played it in tribute to its creator, Gerry Rafferty.
The mass outdoor rendition at Paisley Cross was organised as a tribute to the late singer in the week he would have celebrated his 70th birthday. Paisley-born Rafferty died aged 63 in 2011, after a long illness.
The event was also a prelude to Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 and was partfunded by the bid team. The bid is due to be lodged with the UK Government next week. Rafferty’s daughter, Martha, gave her backing. “My father was very proud of his Paisley roots and I am sure he would have been supportive of the town’s UK City of Culture bid. To have so many people playing the Baker Street solo together in the town centre is a unique idea,” she said. One of Rafferty’s albums is named after the town’s notorious housing estate, Ferguslie Park.
The 2021 bid’s director, Jean Cameron, said: “This event is a tribute to one of Paisley’s best musical exports and a song known the world over.
“As well as marking what would have been Gerry’s birthday it’s also a great way to shine a spotlight on the town as we prepare to submit the bid.”